Daily Bread 2010 - 2 Peter 1
Confirming One’s Calling and Election
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
While 1 Peter dealt more with the persecutions that were coming from the outside, 2 Peter teaches the early church how to deal with false teachers from inside of the church. Although the situations for the two letters were different, in both letters we sense the shepherd’s heart of the apostle Peter (and/or those who wrote down his teachings), which combined sound doctrine with faithful practice.
This combination of right doctrine and right practice is seen here in the first chapter as the author challenges the early believers to be all the more eager to make their calling and election sure. Right action is grounded in the right belief and comes from God himself.
It might seem confusing for some as they contemplate the teaching that they are, “participants in the divine nature”. Some might confuse this with becoming God, instead of becoming like God or Christ like. Peter uses the word “participate”. What does this mean? Peter says that we participate in the divine nature as we take hold and believe in God’s precious promises. Through faith in Christ we receive the power of the Holy Spirit so that we begin to add the qualities in verses 5-7.
Peter is teaching these new Christians that as they make the effort to realize the promises God has given them that these qualities will be increasingly present in their lives. As they begin to see the transformation in their lives, their calling and election will become more sure. Why? Not because God needs these things to make our calling and election and sure, but we do. If there is no change in our lifestyle, as a result of receiving God’s promises, then we will be begin to question if faith is real. But as we act on God’s promises and see the changes this brings to our lives, we will be more effective and productive in our spiritual lives.
God we thank you for all of the promises you have given us through Your Son. We thank you that we can participate in your divine nature and become more like you as we act on these promises in faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
While 1 Peter dealt more with the persecutions that were coming from the outside, 2 Peter teaches the early church how to deal with false teachers from inside of the church. Although the situations for the two letters were different, in both letters we sense the shepherd’s heart of the apostle Peter (and/or those who wrote down his teachings), which combined sound doctrine with faithful practice.
This combination of right doctrine and right practice is seen here in the first chapter as the author challenges the early believers to be all the more eager to make their calling and election sure. Right action is grounded in the right belief and comes from God himself.
It might seem confusing for some as they contemplate the teaching that they are, “participants in the divine nature”. Some might confuse this with becoming God, instead of becoming like God or Christ like. Peter uses the word “participate”. What does this mean? Peter says that we participate in the divine nature as we take hold and believe in God’s precious promises. Through faith in Christ we receive the power of the Holy Spirit so that we begin to add the qualities in verses 5-7.
Peter is teaching these new Christians that as they make the effort to realize the promises God has given them that these qualities will be increasingly present in their lives. As they begin to see the transformation in their lives, their calling and election will become more sure. Why? Not because God needs these things to make our calling and election and sure, but we do. If there is no change in our lifestyle, as a result of receiving God’s promises, then we will be begin to question if faith is real. But as we act on God’s promises and see the changes this brings to our lives, we will be more effective and productive in our spiritual lives.
God we thank you for all of the promises you have given us through Your Son. We thank you that we can participate in your divine nature and become more like you as we act on these promises in faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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